Clutching mechanism for wire-drawing blocks



Aug 7, 1923.

E. H. CARROLL CLUTCHING MECHANISM FOR WIRE DRAWING BLOCKS Filed Feb. 19, 1919 Hiil w I ion j zglcney patented Aug, 7, 1923 JELBERT H. CARROLL, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR 1'0 MORGAN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASfiACHUSETTS, A. CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

CLUTGHING MECHANISM FOR WIRE-DRAWING- BLOCKS.

Application filed It'ebruary 19, 1919. Serial No. 277,919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that L'ELBERT H. CARROLL,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Worcester, in the county of Worcester and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in a Clutching Mechanism for Wire-Drawing Blocks, of which the following, together with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The present invention, relates in general to wire drawing blocks, and in particular to a frictional clutching means adapted to be operated to connect said block, or other driven member, with its driving shaft. The invention resides in a novel combination and arrangement of power transmitting instrumentalities including an .expansible friction coil, introduced between the driving and driven members of the mechanism, and

adapted to' establish, when desired, an operat-ive connection therebetween.

The invention is fully set forth in the following description and pointed out in the annexed claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Fig. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a wire drawing block and its driving means, suitable for the application of the invention thereto, and

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing the improved clutching device as applied to the interior of the wire drawing block of F ig. 1.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Referring to Fig. 1, the numeral 1 designates the supporting framework, below which is journalled a horizontal driving shaft 2. The latter serves, through bevel gears 3, 1, for the rotation of a vertical spindle 5 which is suitably journalled in the framework 1. As usual in devices of F this class, the constantly rotating spindle 5 is arranged so as to transmit its rotation, when desired, to the wire drawin block (3; to this end, it is the usual practice to dispose the block for vertical sliding movement on the spindle to provide for the lifting of said block by means. of rolls 7, 7 carried in arms 8 of a pivoted yoke 9. The

rolls 7, '7 cooperate with an annular track 1:) at the bottom of the block 6, and when arm 11 of yoke 9 is depressed, by reason of its connection to a foot treadle 12 or the like, the block 6 is lifted slightly, for the purpose of disengaging the drivin connection that it makes with the spind e 5. When the treadle is released, the block 6 descends by gravity and the clutch or other driving connection again becomes operative to cause the rotation of said block with said spindle.

The present invention resides in the provision of an improved form of clutching device between the block 6 and the spindle 5, which device lends itselfreadily to the method of operation above specified, and at the same time is of such a character as to inaugurate the rotation of the block without the shock' and jar to the mechanism that usually occurs in devices of this class. As shown in Fig. 2 the block 6 has an interior cylmdrical portion 13, which surrounds and is spaced from the spindle 5. At its upper end the cylindrical portion'l? is contracted to form a guide bearing 14 through which the spindle 5 projects, and by means of which the block 6 is guided in its vertical movement relative to said spindle. I

lVithin the recess inclosed by the cylin- ClIlCillFOItlOR 13, the spindle 5 has rigidly secure is held in place by a. in or other suitable retaining-means l6. l lso surrounding the spindle 5 within the spaceinclosed by cylindrical portion 13 is a member 17, which is superposed on block or collar 15. The member 17 is loose on the spindle 5, but is prevented from moving endwise, awe from the block or collar 15, by any suite is means, such as a pin 18.

The block 15 and member 17 are surrounded. by a spirally wound continuous coil 19, having at one end a projection 20 en 'jzrged in a groove 21 of block 15, and having at the other end a projection 293 engaged in a groove 23 of member 17, As herein shown, the portion of member 17 which is surrounded by coil 19 is slightly tapered downwardly to approximately the same diameter as the block 15, and the surrounding convolutions of coil 19 are preferably made to conform to this taper on their inner surfaces which make contact with said member 1?; the outer surfaces of said convolutions conform to the wall of cylindrical portion 13, from which they are normally slightly spaced.

thereto a block or collar 15, which The member 17 at its upper end provides a frusto-conical friction surface 24 which is adapted for cooperation with the correspondingly bevelledinterior surface 24- of cylindrical portion 13. In the normal position of the parts, when the block 6 is raised by rollers 7, as shown in Fig. 2, the surfaces 24 and 24 are separated slightly, so that there is no tendency for the hloclr to be rotated by the spindle 5 or by any of the parts carried by said spindle within the recess surrounded by cylindrical portion 13. Under these conditions, the coil 1% hugs the block 15 and member 17, and the latter thereby rotates freely in unison with the spindle 5.

When the block 6 is lowered by the re lease of treadle 12, the surfaces 24: and 24;" come into frictional contact, and the weight of the block, together with its resistance to rotation imposes an immediate drag on member 17. As a result, the latter no longer rotates in unison with the block 15, and this difference in movement between the two parts to which the opposite ends of coil are connected, obviously causes the spreading or expansion of said coil, so that the outer surfaces of its convolutions are pressed with increasing force against the wall cylindrical portion 13. The rotation oi block 15 is thus transmitted through the coil 19 to the wire drawing block 6, and it will be obvious that the irictional holding power or expansion of the coil increases 1 proportion to the amount of power v the mechanism is called upon to transit J. In other words, as the resistance to the rotation or" the block increases, the force tending expand the coil 19 increases also, thus eliminating slippage or the loss of power. it will also be clear that with the provision of a clutching device of this nature, the

starting movement of the wire drawing block is relatively gradual'and easy, with no tendency'to erk the wire, or to impose any sudden stress or shock on the mecha-- nism. in order to minimise the wear on portion 13, which is caused by the band 19., said portion 13 may be lined, with a hard steel bushing 25, as shown in Fig. 2.

I claim,

1. The combination, with a wire drawing block, of a driving spindle therefor, and a clutching means interposed between said block and said spindle, said clutching means comprising a coil rotating with. said spindle and adapted to be expanded into frictional engagement with the interior of said block by axial movement-of the latter.

2. The combination with a rotating; spindle, of a wire drawing block providing an internal friction surface, and a coil at tached to said spindle and. adapted to he expanded into frictional contact with said surface by axial movement of'said block, in the act of transmitting to said block the rotation of said spindle.

3. The combination with a driving member, or" a spiral band adapted to rotate therewith, a tapered loose nieniher operatively connected to one end of said band, said hand 7 being tapered internally to conform to the surface of said loose member, a driven member surrounding said bend, and presenting an internal friction surface conforming to the external surface of said hand, and rneans for imposing the drag of said driven memher on said loose member, whereby to expand said band into driving engagement with said internal friction surface,

Dated this fourteenth day of February,

ELBERT H. CARROLL. Witnesses:

PENELOPE Coainnneacn, Nnnnin Wnarnrn 

